The present invention relates to a vehicle occupant protection system. In particular, the present invention relates to means for providing an electrical connection between electrical components in a vehicle occupant protection system.
It is known to provide a vehicle occupant protection system in a vehicle. One such vehicle occupant protection system is a seat belt for restraining a vehicle occupant. Such seat belts typically include seat belt webbing, a seat belt tongue on the webbing, and a seat belt buckle. The seat belt tongue is inserted in the buckle when the webbing has been placed about a vehicle occupant. A latch mechanism in the buckle interlocks with the seat belt tongue to secure the webbing about the occupant. The seat belt system may also include a sensor for indicating whether or not the seat belt tongue is locked in the buckle. Such a sensor may include electrically connected electrical components that provide such indication.
The present invention relates to a vehicle occupant protection system that comprises a seat belt buckle for receiving a seat belt tongue. A Hall effect device is mounted on the seat belt buckle. The Hall effect device has at least one electrical lead. A magnet is mounted on the seat belt buckle. The magnet and the Hall effect device are moveable relative to each other to first relative positions upon receipt of the seat belt tongue in the seat belt buckle. The Hall effect device provides a signal in response to the magnet and the Hall effect device being moved to the first relative positions. An electrical conductor has an electrical connection with the electrical lead. The electrical connection is provided by melted portions of the electrical lead and the electrical conductor that are bonded together.